Lock mechanism for safes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

.Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

{No Model.)

H. GROSS. y

LOCK MBHANISM FOR SAFBS.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT irren.

HENRY GROss, or ORTOAGO, iLLiNOis.

LOCK MEOHANISM Foul sAFEs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,613, dated April. 14, 1885.

Application tiled April 3. 1884. (No modell To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY GROss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock Mechanism for Safes, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

In applying lock mechanism to burglarproof safes it is customary to attach the boltworl; and the permutation or other lock to the inner face of the safe-door and to extend through the door suitable arbors or spindles whereby the bolts may be operated. A serious objection to this construction is that the arbois passing through the door or jamb materially diminish the security of the safe, as it is by knocking out or drivingin or drilling these arbors that the burglar usually obtains an openingthrough which to introduce explosives for blowing open the door. Various attempts have been made to overcome this objection by forming the arbors and their openings of such peculiar shape that they cannot be readily displaced; but notwithstanding these the fact remains that the arbors are the weak points of the safe.

' The purpose of my present invention is to overcome the above objection; and to this end theinvention consists in placing thelock mechanism by which the bolt-work of the safe is controlled within the wall ofthe safe or safedoor, so that the operating arbor or spindle shall not entend through such wall, and so that no opening through the safe-wall can be obtained, even were it possible to displace the arbor.

My invention further consists in placing within the recessed wall of the safe or door a permutation-lock having an outwardly-tapering operating arbor or spindle.

My invention also consists in holding within a recess in the wall of the safe or door a permutation-lock in such manner that the lock may be readily withdrawn from the recess for the purpose of changing the combination on which the lock is set.

My invention further consists in placing within the wall ofthe safe or door apermuta tion-lock having an outwardly-tapering operating spindle orarbor,whicliA shall bear against the end of the arbor on which the lock-tumblers are held, so that any inward movement of the operating-spindle will be resisted.

The invention also consists in combining with the usual bolt-work upon the inner face ofthe door a permutation or other lock located within the wall ofthe safe and connected with the bolt-work in'such manner that it can opcrate the same.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction, to be hereinafter fully described, and particularly deiined in the claims at the end of the specication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure is a view in longitudinal transverse section on line xav of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view o`f the inner side of the safe door and wall, the portion of the wall above the lock being removed for the purpose of better illustration. Fig. 3 is aview in vertical transverse section on line yy of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front view of the look removed from the wall of the safe. Fig. 5 is a view from the outer side of a portion of the safe wall and door, parts being broken away to expose the lock within the wall. Fig. 6 is a view from the inner side of a portion Vof the safe wall and door, parts being broken away and parts removed for the purpose of better illustration.` Fig. 7 is a View in longitudinal transverse section on line x x of Fig. 5, the hinge side of the door being also shown. Fig. 8 is a view in vertical transverse section on line y y of Fig. 7. y

A designates the front wall of the safe, formed of chilled plates to which is hinged the door A', of rlike construction. The plates of the safe-wall and the door at the hinged side of the door are alternately of different lengths, so as to form,when the door is closed,the zigzag joint, as seen in Figs. l and 7 rl`he outer edges of the longer door-plates are rounded, as at a5, to permit the plates to enter the spaces of the door-opening. By this zigzag joint a most secure connection between the door and the safe-wall is obtained, and at the same time a much larger door-space is formed than in the old method of constructing the rear edge of the 4door with inclined steps, as shown at ico the front edge of the door iu the drawings.

Upon the inner face of the door is held, in usual manner, the bolt-work B, and to the striking-bar b of this bolt-work'is connected the square link-pin C, that moves within the slot c, extending partially through the door from its inner side. The inner end ofthe linkpin C is attached to the rear portion .of the latch-bar D, which is adapted to slide within a suitable long seat or slot that extends to the front edge of the door, as shown. The forward end of this latch-bar is cut away, asseen at d, to form a knob that is caught by the A hook-lever E of the permutation-lock,'by which the bolt-work will be operated. This per-mutation-lock is carried by the small'plates F, -F, and F2, connected together and adapted to fit within a suitable recessin the j amb ofthe-safe, and provided with recesses to receive the parts of the lock. 'Ihe tumblers g, of usual construction, are carried by a suitable sleeve onthe stud or hub G,that isformed preferably integral with the plate g, attached by screws to the rear plate, F.

Against the end of the stud-or hub Gr' bears the drive-wheel H,that is formed integral with the operating arbor or spindle -H,which extends through the face, of the jamb andconnects with the dial-knob I, by which the lock is worked. The operating spindle or arbor H is formed outwardly tapering, as shown, to`

prevent its withdrawal, and as itbears against the end of the stud or hub G -it cannot be forced inward, and is hence securely ,held against displacement.

In the periphery of the drive-wheel 4'H is formed the notch h, which serves to engage with the hooker lug e of the hook-lever E, when the several tumblers of the lock have been brought into such position as toallow the angle-bar e of this lever to drop into the notches of the tumblers. The rear portion of the hook-lever E is cut away, as shown, and

lwithin the space thus formed is the pin-m, 4that serves to limit the movement of this lever.

The hook or lug eof the. lever E is rearwardly inclined, and the notch of the drivewheel is formed correspondingly oblique, as seen in Fig. 2, so that the hook-lever lmay be forced forward with certainty,and maygbe retracted until the slot e2 inthe upper edgeof the lever comes opposite thepin u, when, .by

reason of the inclination of the 4notch h and the lug e, the lever will be lifted until the lug rides out of thenotch and thearrangement of the tumblers is so displaced as to prevent-its return. Thev front plate, F2, is cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the Aplateswith the tumblers, may be withdrawn from the `wall when it is desired to change thecombination of the lock. It will be seen that one of the plates of the door-jamb is cut away, as at @,so as to permit theendof .the latch-.bar toenter the hook-lever when -the door is` closed.

From the Vforegoing description the operation will be understood tobe as follows: The door vof the safe being closed, the end yof the latch-bar rests within the cut-away end of the hook-lever, and by turning the dial-knob the drive-wheel will force this lever backward, causing it to retract thebolt-work .and lock the safe.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 is illustrated a modified form of lock embodying certain features of my invention. In this construction, as in that already described, the jamb or wall A is recessed .to receive vthe permutation lock, which lis carried by the plate or casing O, removably held within the jamb by means of screws, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.` 5. Within the enlarged recessed portion o of this plate or casing are held the tumblers g, of usual construction, which fit on the hub G, formed integral with `the plate 4g", that is screwed to the innerside of the plate 0, as seen in Fig. 8. The tapering arbor G', connected to the dial-knob I,has vupon its-inner end the drive-wheel H for operating the bolt-A plateP. Vlhis'bolt-,plateis preferably pivotally connected by the pin p to the lower part of the yplate or casing-O, the pivotal point of the boltplate being such that the plate will be normally held by gravity in the upright retracted position when the safe ,is unlocked. The central portionA of the plate Pjis cut away, as shown in Fig. 6, to admit the recessed portion oof the lcasing O, and is provided with the angle-harp', which passes through-the slot oof the portion o of thecasing, andwill drop intothe notches of thetumblers g when brought coincident,fso as to be inpositionto be acted upon by the cam-shoulder h of the drivewheel H. The frontfedge of the door is provided with the Irecess a2, in which the boltplate will rest -when thrust forward vby the drive-wheel. l

The-operation of this form of lock isas-follows: lAssuming the parts to bein the unlocked position ,indicated-in Fig.I 6, the anglebar p being inthe notches of the tumblers and thedrive-wheel, a movement of the drivewheel in the direction of the arrow, Fig. '6, will force the bolt-plate into the recess a2, and willdisarrangefthe tumblers so that it cannot be retracted. *If, now, the notches of the tumblers be brought-coincident, the weight ofthe bolt-plate rwill force the angle-'bar therein and the safe will be unlocked.

It willbe readily .seenthat-if it-is desiredto change the combinationfof .the-lock, it can be quickly done by withdrawing plate-casing vO and the tumblers from the recess of thedoorjamb.-

WhileI have stated in the foregoing descrip- ,tion ,what I regard as the best embodiments of the invention, it will be understood ,by the skilledmechanic that the details of construction can be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention,and the invention is `not to be regarded, therefore, as limitedto such details.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desiretosecureby Letters Patent is* l. In a burglar-proof safe,:the combination,

with arecessed Wall, of a lock located Wholly within said wall, substantially as described.

2. In a burglar-proof safe,the combination, with a recessed wall, of a permutation-lock located Wholly Within said Wall', and having a spindle extendingthrough the front face of the wall for operating the lock, substantially as described.

3. .In a burglar-proof safe, the combination, with a recessed wall, of a permutation-lock located Wholly within said Wall, and havinga conical arbor tapering toward its end extending through the front face ofthe wall, substantially as described.

4. In a burglar-proof safe, thecombnation, with a recessed Wall and a permutation-lock located Wit-hin said recess in the Wall, of a recessed door and a bolt adapted to be moved within the recess of the door, substantially as described.

5. In a burglar-proof safe, the combination, with a recessed door and jamb, of a lock located Within the recess ofthejamb,and alatch-bar in connection with the bolt-work, whereby said lock shall throw the bolt-work, substantially as set forth.

6. In aburglar-proof safe, the combination, with the recessed door and jamb,and the bolt- Work having the latch-bar connected there- With,of the permutation-lock having the hookbar adapted to engage with said' latch-bar and throw the bolt- Work, substantially as described.

` 7. In a burglar-proof safe,the combination, with a wall having a recess of suitable size and shape to receive a permutation-lock, of said lock located Wholly Within said Wall and removably held therein, substantially as described.

8. In a burglar-proof safe,the combination, with a recessed Wall, of a permutation-lock located Wholly Within the said recess, and having a spindle and a drive-Wheel and a hub for its tnmblers, adapted to bear against said spindle, substantially as described.

9. In a burglar-proof safe,the combination, With a recessed walhcf a permutation-lock located Wholly Within said wall, and having a spindle with a driving-wheel distinct from the look, whereby the lock maybe removed Without removing the drive-wheel and spindle, substantially as described.

10. In a burglar-proofsafe,the combination, with the recessed door and recessed jamb,and the bolt-work upon the inner face of the door, of the lock located Within the recess of the j amb, the latch-bar connected to the bolt-Work, the hook-lever for engaging with the latchbar, and a drive-Wheel and spindle for operating the hook-lever, substantially as described.

IIENRY GROSS.

Witnesses:

GEO. P. Frsnnn, Jr., J .urns H. Pinnen. 

